BEIJING – A rural bank officer who allegedly used fake documents to buy dozens of properties worth hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars is in police detention weeks after she became China's newest symbol of official corruption.

State media and a local official confirmed Tuesday that Gong Ai'ai, the former deputy head of the Shenmu County Rural Commercial Bank, was detained Monday for forging official documents.

Police authorities, quoted in state media, say Gong used three fake national identity cards plus her real one to buy at least 45 properties worth billions of yuan.

Corruption is common in China, but Gong's scandal touched a nerve. Her fake IDs suggest corruption among the police who issued them, and many Chinese blame speculation by the wealthy and corrupt for soaring housing prices.